


A Wandering Aura Chapter 5: Black & White

by WindySilver



Series: A Wandering Aura [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Language, Gen, Insults, Part 3rd Person Narration, Part Epistolary, Swearing, antagonists get cussed out, probably at least, the protagonist and her partner are foulmouths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26618848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindySilver/pseuds/WindySilver
Summary: Samayora and Emerald's journeying leads them to Unova where Samayora wants to learn to trust humans more after the events of the HeatGold & SoulSilver Chapter. There, they encounter three beginning Trainers, Team Plasma and a strange man called N who shares Samayora's ability to understand the Pokémon language - encounters that mean a lot from the very beginning.When the suspicious Team increases its pressure on the region during the course of the journey, Samayora, Emerald, Hilda, Cheren and Bianca all have to consider what their truth and ideals truly are and what they mean.How much will Samayora mature in her quest for growth... and at what cost?
Series: A Wandering Aura [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1936330
Collections: WindySilver's Pokémon Collection





	1. Black & White Act 1, Part 1: A New Beginning – Unova! 1

Unova Travelogue

Owner: Samayora Yasrin

If found, please return this to the nearest Pokémon Center. Thank you!

_1st October, 2010_

The preparations are complete. Ethai has heard that I'm planning to go to Sunyshore City via Eterna City, so he is probably going to stalk me there, my new Pokétch is charged and I've got everything packed. Emerald and I will leave at dawn.

It has been a while since I last felt the thrill of going to a completely unknown region; I knew some things about Johto before we left (especially Team Rocket), but Unova is completely unknown to me. Apparently its Pokémon population consists only of the region's own Pokémon and none other, so it's certain that we are going to meet a lot of new kinds of friends we have never seen before. I can't wait to board the ship there and I'm sure that Emerald feels the same.

To a new journey!

Wandering Aura, Alamos Town

~~~

_2nd October, 2010_

Ethai did not board our bus, that much we know. Hopefully we will get enough of a head start to escape to Snowpoint City without him tracking us down.

I wonder what kinds of people and Pokémon we will meet. I hope that whoever become my rival(s) they are nice enough for me to trust them. It would be great to make good human friends like Silver while out there. Some action would also be nice; Johto was its own thing with Team Rocket, Silver and Gold, but after Sinnoh and Hoenn it would be badass to meet some new legendary Pokémon, especially since Unova has its distinct Pokémon population.

I'm keeping my hopes up.

~~~

_11th October, 2010_

We made it to Snowpoint City. So far, Ethai seems to have gone to the wrong direction (if he's even gone anywhere). Hopefully he'll keep that up, too. Tomorrow is the cruise day, so it's for the best to rest up and wait.

Tomorrow, a new, exciting journey in a new region will start closing in on us fast.

~~~

_12th October, 2010_

The cruise has begun. In four days from today, we will step onto Unovan soil in Nuvema Town. So far, we have evaded Ethai.

I don't know why, but now that we're getting closer to Unova, I have a feeling that something major is going to happen. Am I anticipating new encounters, perhaps a new villain team or a meeting with a legendary titan? I don't know. All I know is that I'm humming that damn tune again while thinking about this feeling.

Maybe in Unova, I will find something. The name of that tune would be great.

Whatever the future holds, we will see it through.

To Unova!

Wandering Aura, on board S.S. Layla

~~~

_14th October, 2010_

We'll arrive in Nuvema Town tomorrow. Emerald and I are both very excited right now; the journey is truly beginning soon!

We're already seeing some new Pokémon (mainly Duckletts, Swannas and Tranquils, according to the Pokédex). It's going to be exciting to see more!


	2. Black & White Act 1, Part 1: A New Beginning – Unova! 2

Nuvema Town was already visible in the horizon from the deck of S.S. Layla. They were going to arrive there soon.

A flock of flying Pokémon caught Samayora's attention. She and Emerald were too far away to hear their voices but it did not mean they could not see them. The Trainer stared at them, unable to shake the feeling that she had seen them before. _A deja vu again?_

"What are those?" Emerald asked when his partner did not seem to planning to have her Pokédex to scan the flock.

Samayora took out her Pokédex — it was hard to believe that it was already eight years old, now that she thought about it — and let it answer the question. "Pidove, the Tiny Pigeon Pokémon. Each follows its Trainer's orders as best it can, but they sometimes fail to understand complicated commands." _Pidove? Where have I heard that before?... Have I heard that before??_

Emerald spoke up again when his partner seemed to be lost in thought. "How about its evolutions?"

"Huh?"

"What are Pidove's evolutions?"

"Oh! Let's see." Samayora searched Pidove's evolutions and let the Pokédex speak up again, "Tranquil, the Wild Pigeon Pokémon. It can return to its Trainer's location regardless of the distance separating them. Unfezant, the Proud Pokémon. Males swing their head plumage to threaten opponents. The females' flying abilities surpass those of the males."

"The females are better at flying?" Emerald chuckled. "You'd make a fantastic rival to Diamond as an Unfezant."

Samayora laughed, forcing herself to focus on the present. "Yeah. And for all the threats you threw at Team Aqua and Magma in particular, you'd make an excellent Unfezant."

Emerald flashed a grin at his partner. "I know. I'm looking forward to coming up with some more once we figure out who wants to cause havoc and get their ass kicked in Unova. There's bound to be a team here as well."

"We'll see. It would be refreshing if that wasn't the case."

"It would be _boring_. You know it would be."

"Haha, yeah, I know. I hope that the rivals can spice things up in any case. It would be refreshing after Johto."

"If they don't, I'll buy some chili spice mix for y'all."

Samayora giggled at the mental image of Emerald handing spices out to her, Gold, Crystal and Silver. "Sure. Just make sure you don't use all my money for it."

"Naturally. I need to eat too."

~~~

_15th October, 2010_

We have arrived in Nuvema Town! It's pretty late, so we're staying at the ship overnight — the ship is due to leave tomorrow evening so we may stay here tonight. Now that we're near the land, we have seen so much more!

I haven't talked to Emerald about this, but I'm having some strange deja vus while looking at these Unovan Pokémon. It feels like I've seen some of them before or heard their names somewhere. Especially Pidoves seem to ring a bell for some reason. I'm probably imagining it, though. This is all super exciting and I can't wait to get out there and start exploring and meet new friends!

Tomorrow will be a fantastic day for sure.

Wandering Aura, on board S.S. Layla at Nuvema Town


	3. Black & White Act 1, Part 2: Nuvema Town

"How about a jump onto the Unovan surface?" Emerald suggested as they walked down the ramp.

"I like that idea," Samayora remarked. "Let's do it."

"Alright, in three, two one, now!"

The duo jumped off the end of the ramp. Their feet found the Unovan soil with an audible thud. Emerald laughed. "Hello, Unova!"

Samayora chuckled. "C'mon, partner, let's get to Professor Juniper's lab. I want to see the local starters!"

"You've got the map. Lead the way."

"Then follow me!" Samayora took off running. Emerald followed her, still laughing.

Five minutes later, they found themselves at the laboratory's entrance.

"Ready?" Samayora asked.

"I was born ready, partner," Emerald answered. They stepped inside. "Looks like there are beginners here."

A woman who was talking to three youngsters looked past the group and met Samayora's eyes. "Oh, another visitor?" The three youngsters and their Pokémon turned to look at the newcomers.

"Uh.. Hi." Samayora waved. "This is Professor Juniper's laboratory, right?"

"Yes, this is. Please, come further in," the woman said. "I'm Professor Juniper. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too." Samayora ignored how dry her mouth suddenly felt when there was so much attention on her and instead came closer to the group. "I'm Samayora Yasrin."

"And I'm her partner, Emerald," Emerald introduced himself.

The youngsters gasped. Even the Pokémon Professor looked surprised to hear the Grovyle speak Human.

"You can talk!" the blonde girl said.

"That's right," Emerald told.

"You are a Grovyle, are you not?" the only boy in the trio asked.

"That's right as well," Emerald told, grinning.

"So you're from Hoenn?" the boy asked.

"No. We're from Sinnoh. Emerald's been with me pretty much all my life, so I never got a Sinnohan starter," Samayora told.

"I take it you just arrived to journey here in Unova," Professor Juniper said.

"That's correct," Samayora told.

"Hey, the three of us haven't introduced ourselves yet!" the brunette girl said. "I'm Hilda and this is my partner, Shellmaster."

The blue-and-white Pokémon by her side waved. "Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Bianca, and this is Ignus," the blonde introduced herself. The orange Pokémon by her side merely nodded.

"And I'm Cheren. This is Kaede," the boy introduced himself.

"Hi there," greeted the green Pokémon by his side.

"Nice to meet you all!" Samayora smiled as she connected each name to each aura. "You're all starting out?"

"Yup. We got our starters earlier today," Hilda told. "What a coincidence that you're starting your journey here today as well!"

"It sure is," Emerald remarked.

"Samayora, do you have a Pokédex from another region?" Professor Juniper asked.

"I do. Are there any updates I should be aware of?" Samayora asked. "It's been a few months since I last updated the database."

"Potentially. Which model do you have?"

"Sinnoh's HANDY910."

"HANDY910? Isn't that old?" Hilda frowned.

"Uh... I guess." Nonplussed, Samayora took her Pokédex out of her pocket. "I got it from Professor Rowan back when we first started journeying eight years ago."

"That is old!" Bianca noted. "How old are you anyway?"

Samayora chuckled. "I turned 18 during the spring. I haven't felt the need to replace this one since it's seen us through a lot and it's gotten updates. Should I?"

"The software support time for each Pokédex model is five years plus three extra years of database updates. Your system is definitely out-of-date," Cheren remarked.

"Really?" Samayora's eyebrows shot up. "Huh... That would actually explain why the updates got fewer back in Hoenn."

"Unfortunately, your model's database support ended last January. I believe the update you got is the last one there'll be," Professor Juniper told. "I recommend that you switch systems now that you're here."

Samayora looked at her Pokédex. "I didn't expect this journey to begin with replacing my old Pokédex." She looked up and gave a lopsided smile to the group in front of her. "Aside from finally getting out of Alamos Town, this is the only thing resembling a birthday present I got back then, so I'm feeling sentimental about it. It's never let me down."

"Many feel sentimental about their first Pokédexes." Professor Juniper's aura spoke of true understanding, so Samayora felt a little more at ease. "However, it is for the best that you replace it since it won't get any more updates."

"Huh..." Samayora looked at her Pokédex again. Each scratch and the dent on its front cover had a story to tell. "Well, I'm happier with my new Pokétch even though I was sad that I needed to replace the old one, so I guess I'll feel better about replacing this as well soon."

"It served us well all those years," Emerald remarked. "I hope the newer models can take a hit as well. You never know if you get another tackle like the one that made that dent here."

"Actually, 1000-series models improved their durability compared to the 900-series by around 50%. That and additional improvements make the current 1500-series Pokédexes around 85% more durable," Cheren explained.

"Cool! How do you know all this stuff?" Samayora asked.

"He's the one of us who crams," Hilda explained.

"Yeah, Cheren's like a walking database," Bianca added.

Samayora let out a fond chuckle. "Well, if my 910 could take me falling on it after getting tackled by a Crobat on Mt. Coronet and a lot of hits from rocks and Pokémon with sharp claws, the new ones must be damn near indestructible." She sighed and handed the Pokédex away. "Progress can't be stopped, right?"

"Indeed. Give me a while, I'll go get a new Pokédex for you." Professor Juniper left to another room, leaving the Trainers alone.

After a pause, Samayora asked, "So, how old are you guys? You don't look 10 to me."

"No, we're all 14. It's pretty common in Unova that Trainers start out around that age," Hilda told. "What was it like to start out when you were 10?"

"I was super excited. I'd been looking forward to it for ages." Samayora smiled. "The distances turned out to be longer than I expected and I think I was a bit ill-prepared mentally, but since I had Emerald with me, everything turned out fine. I have a feeling you'll do better than me."

"Any tips you could give?" Bianca asked. "You're so experienced, you must have some knowledge that could be useful for someone starting out!"

"Well, I guess the most important advice I could give is that you need to work to truly learn to understand your Pokémon. There's a distinct difference between taking good care of them and truly understanding what they want and need. The language barrier most people have is a problem, but I've seen tons of Trainers who have overcome it." Samayora thought about it for a while. "You also need to keep in mind that Pokémon are individuals with their own personalities. Not all of them like battling or traveling, so there may be a time when it's for the best for everyone to say goodbye and go separate ways."

"Have you had to say goodbye to any of your Pokémon?" Bianca asked.

"To a few, yes," Samayora told. "Of course, the Pokémon also needs to communicate their need to leave. You can't figure out what's wrong if they don't tell you. Pretty early on, the Beautifly in my team ended up breaking free from her Poké Ball, destroying it and leaving at night after acting odd for some time but not talking about why. We never figured out what was wrong or where she went."

"That must have been hard to deal with," Hilda remarked.

"It was."

Samayora could not say anything more as Professor Juniper returned and gave her a new Pokédex. "Here you go."

"Thank you!" Samayora took the Pokédex in her hand. "Looks like compactness has gone up too."

"HANDY900 Pokédexes are actually the largest relatively recent Pokédexes," Cheren chimed in.

"That explains a lot," Emerald remarked.

"By the way, Samayora, do you have a Xtransceiver?" Hilda asked. "I think we should keep in touch since we'll all be out there going to the same places!"

"A Xtransceiver?" Samayora repeated. She looked at her Pokétch. "Any chance there's cross-compatibility with Sinnoh's Pokétch or Johto's Pokégear?"

"I don't think so," Cheren noted. "The technology has advanced but the systems have stayed isolated throughout the years."

"Then I guess I need to buy one." Samayora rubbed her neck. "I wasn't prepared for meeting people I'd keep in touch with on the go this soon."

"We'll show you where you can get one!" Hilda said.

"Remember to meet me on Route 1 like agreed, you three," Professor Juniper said, smiling. "If you don't have any questions, I'll wait for you there."

"We'll be there soon, Professor," Cheren assured.

"Come on, let's go!" Bianca shouted and grabbed Samayora's hand.

The trio led the way out of the laboratory to the nearest store with Bianca quite literally dragging a baffled Samayora behind her.

"There are the Xtransceivers," Hilda pointed out. Bianca kept dragging Samayora while Emerald laughed by himself, enjoying the unexpected scene unfolding around his partner.

"Go on, pick a color!" Bianca said.

"Ho-hold on," Samayora stammered. "Give me a moment to look at them all." The selection was rather limited but she did find a color that suited her: purple. "Okay, this one's it."

"Looks great!" Hilda said.

The trio followed as Samayora walked to the checkout.

"A Xtransceiver? Did you break your own?" the cashier asked.

"No, this is my first one. I'm new here." Samayora rubbed her neck again before taking her debit card to pay. "For all the systems that are not cross-compatible, I hope a Sinnoh's card is fine."

"It is," the cashier told. Samayora let out an inward sigh of relief; she would not have wanted to run into yet another change to make because of technology.

A moment later, Samayora had pocketed her Pokégear to make space for the Xtransceiver on her left wrist.

"It looks good on you!" Bianca said.

"Thanks," Samayora said. She was still not exactly sure what had happened between the laboratory and the present moment, but apparently she was in good crowd because she already had three numbers registered on her new communication device. "So, I guess you guys should go to Route 1, correct?"

"Do you want to come along? You probably know how to catch Pokémon already, but it would be fun to have you come along!" Hilda asked.

"Uh, sure, if it's fine with you all," Samayora said.

"Then let's go together, all five of us," Cheren said.

"Heck yeah! For once someone's including me in the numbers!" Emerald exclaimed.

"Is that unusual?" Cheren asked.

"Yeah. Sara and I are almost never apart, so we're kinda considered one unit, but it's probably also because I'm a Pokémon," Emerald explained. He shrugged then. "Humans are stupid. In general, I mean, not you three. You're cool. No, I take that back. You managed to drag my partner around, so you're extra-cool."

The trio exchanged some smiles while Samayora let out a nervous chuckle.

Around ten minutes and a meeting with Hilda's mother later, the whole group was at the edge of Unova Route 1.

"Hey, if we're starting a journey together, we should all take the first step at the same time!" Bianca said.

"That's a fantastic idea!" Hilda said. "Samayora, Emerald, will you join us?"

"Uh... is it okay?" Samayora tensed. "You three have been friends for long. I feel like I'm butting in like a third wheel."

"It's not a problem. You are more experienced than us, but you are also starting a journey right here and now. Please, do join us. We insist," Cheren said.

"Well, if you're sure." Samayora and Emerald walked to Bianca's side.

"Okay, on three. One, two and three!" Bianca counted. The group took the first steps in unison like a marching band. "Oh, I wonder what will happen! Isn't this so exciting?"

"It sure is. C'mon, the Professor's waiting," Cheren said. He led the way to the Pokémon Professor who was waiting for them a small distance away.

Samayora and Emerald stood back as Professor Juniper demonstrated how to catch a Pokémon to the three beginners.

"So... They've dragged you around," Emerald said, keeping his voice down.

"I really don't what happened or what's going on, Emerald," Samayora admitted. "Everything's just happening and it's all happening so fast."

"Do you like them?"

"Absolutely. They remind me of May and Brendan, except they're probably even more insistent on including us. It's... been a while since I last felt this way. I think these guys could be genuine friends to us."

"I had the same feeling while I observed. And I sure like that Cheren guy for counting me as my own person. He's more distant but he's definitely extra-cool in his own way."

"I agree." Samayora paused. "I didn't think a group of auras could be this... bright in kindness. Do you catch my meaning? It's a bit overwhelming after everything I've seen before."

"I think I understand." Emerald smiled as he looked up to his partner. "This journey seems perfect already. I'm happy for you."

Samayora met his fond gaze. "Let's hope it stays that way, partner."

"I'm sure it will. And if it doesn't, I'm sure everything will turn out alright in the end like Silver did."

"You're right."

Samayora did not voice it, but she had a gut feeling that something major was going to happen at some point. It was somewhere in the horizon, although she could not put a finger on it or the distance, only that she was certain that it was there.

Perhaps it was just the anticipation after such a major positive beginning — including the fresh start with her Pokédex, Pokétch and Xtransceiver. It felt like they were starting out somehow anew.

Professor Juniper's demonstration ended, so Samayora and Emerald ended their conversation and joined the Unovan group.

"You're going to Accumula Town next too, right?" she asked.

"That's the plan," Samayora told.

"Let's meet there! Professor Juniper said that she'll be there as well," Hilda said.

"Sounds like a good idea."

"It takes 7 days to walk through Route 1, so we'll meet at the Pokémon Center on the 22nd," Professor Juniper explained.

"Got it. I'll be there too," Samayora said.

"I'll see you there then." With those words, Professor Juniper took her leave back to Nuvema Town.

"Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we see which one of us can catch the most Pokémon?" Bianca suggested. "The one carrying the most Pokémon, including the starter, is the winner!"

"Huh. Actually, that sounds interesting," Cheren noted.

"I like that idea!" Hilda said.

"You know, if I wanted to, I could simply get back to Nuvema Town's Pokémon Center and transfer as many of my previous teams' members as I feel I need to just to beat you all." Samayora chuckled.

"That would be cheating," Bianca remarked.

"Yeah, I know. I wasn't going to do that."

"Well then, shall we all get started?" Hilda asked.

"It would be a good idea. The Route doesn't walk itself," Samayora noted.

"Yes. Take care of yourselves and your Pokémon in the meantime, everyone," Cheren said.

"Will do!" Bianca said. "Me and Ignus will do our best for sure!"

"See you at Accumula Town on the 22nd," Hilda said.

"See you all there," Samayora said.

With those words, the group scattered as the beginners moved to different directions to look for Pokémon to catch and Samayora and Emerald headed onwards.

"This certainly took unexpected turns," Emerald remarked as the two walked further.

"Indeed. There were so many turns that I think I went full on 360," Samayora said. The two chuckled at the quip. "I have a lot to talk about on the travelogue tonight."

"You certainly do." Emerald took a deep breath. "Ah, I have a fantastic feeling about all of this. This journey is going to be a huge blast!"

~~~

_16th October, 2010_

We disembarked this morning and set course for Professor Juniper's laboratory. So far, so good; no Ethai and the grapevine says that he isn't onto us yet.

We met three beginning trainers at the lab: Hilda, Bianca and Cheren. They all seem truly nice and insisted on including me in their journey since I was beginning my Unova journey on the same day as them. It's kind of embarrassing to admit it, but they somehow managed to drag me around, first to buy a Xtransceiver so that I could keep in touch with them (can't use my new Pokétch or anything else because of system incompatibilities), then to Unova Route 1 where all five of us took our first step of the journey together. We'll meet with Professor Juniper in Accumula Town on the 22nd.

I honestly don't know what actually happened today, but it seems that I made a few human friends while getting dragged around by them. Human friends with auras so kind it's actually a bit overwhelming especially when all three of them are together. Cheren even included Emerald in the numbers. That made him really happy. Because of that and the fact that they managed to drag me around (that time is a little blurry because I was so baffled by everything that was happening), Emerald dubbed them extra-cool. I have to agree with him about that; they are extra-cool. They kind of remind me of May and Brendan (I wonder how they're doing), but I have a feeling that they'll be a lot more insistent on making me a part of their journey, their story.

I also replaced my Pokédex today. Apparently it had lost software support three years ago and its database updates ended this year. I still feel a bit sad that I had to let it go since it's seen me through everything from Sandgem Town to Distortion World to Sootopolis City to today and took a lot of hits along the way, but the new Pokédex is so much more compact and I can feel the big increase in durability. The system also seems so much better altogether. I'll probably feel better about it soon when I get used to it and comfort myself with the fact that it served us well throughout the eight years.

I guess progress just can't be stopped, so it's better to try to go with it rather than against it.

So far, Unova seems lovely. Perhaps the feeling I had was anticipation for meeting these three beginner Trainers but I have a feeling there's something more in store for us in the horizon. I don't know what it is, but there's something out there. It might be just that it feels like we kind of started anew with so many changes to how we usually start our journeys (our very first journey was quite a thing, after all, because of Team Galactic), but I think something big will happen along the way. Whatever that encounter awaiting us is, I hope that it'll be friendly.

Wandering Aura, the first day in Unova, Unova Route 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A funny tidbit: When planning this part, I wrote into the file: "SAMAYORA GETS THE UNOVA POKEDEX BECAUSE HER SINNOH ONE IS OLD AS FUCK AND NO LONGER SUPPORTED"
> 
> Another tidbit: I put these small plans inserted directly into the story files into caps. It helps me distinguish plans from the actual story (and also notice them while writing).


	4. Black & White Act 1, Part 3: Unova Route 1

_19th October, 2010_

We haven't seen Hilda, Bianca and Cheren ever since we agreed to meet in Accumula Town, but I'm pretty sure they're all doing fine. They have their own partners with them, after all, and I'm sure they're capable.

I'm not too into the idea of competing on who catches the most Pokémon, so I'm just going along with whatever I come across. So far, my attempts at catching a Patrat have failed.

Hopefully, I'll get to catch at least one Pokémon along the way. I'm the senior Trainer, after all, so I probably should act as an example for those three.

Maybe I should just refer to them as "the beginner trio" or something in these travelogues? I'm sure I'll know later who I'm talking about. Yes, that's probably a good idea.

~~~

_20th October, 2010_

Today, I caught my first Pokémon in Unova: Brigitta the Lillipup. Her demeanor reminds me of Bianca and the others; so kind. Are all or most people in Unova like that? Or have I just not seen it before while traveling elsewhere, concentrating only on the worst parts of humanity if I've even concentrated on anything at all about them? I have no idea.

Anyway, Unova is seems absolutely fantastic. This is probably the best place for me to figure out how to trust humans better.

According to my Pokétch's map, Accumula Town is near. I'll definitely make it by the 22nd — I hope the beginner trio does as well!


	5. Black & White Act 1, Part 4: Accumula Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To celebrate N making an appearance in Pokémon Masters EX, I decided to dig into my stash of finished but unposted parts, do one final round of editing to this one and post it.
> 
> I'm not going to promise I'll work on this project more anytime soon, but I'll admit that his event storyline (The Ideal Equation) did wonders to my inspiration with this story. More parts with this guy will be N-coming along the way for sure.
> 
> ...I'll see myself out.

_21st October, 2010_

It's late in the evening, but we managed to make it to Accumula Town before midnight. Some auras around here are restless. Something is definitely up. I just don't know what.

I guess we'll figure it out tomorrow. There's a chance that there's an event coming up and Professor Juniper (or Cheren the walking database) can tell us about it.

We'll see tomorrow.

Wandering Aura, Accumula Town

~~~

Had Samayora been unused to the bustle of auras, her head might have exploded. There was no clear indication of an event taking place in Accumula Town but there were clear restless clusters around her.

It was frustrating.

Despite of that, she made the effort to get up early and go meet Professor Juniper when she arrived at the Pokémon Center. Soon afterwards, they met up with the beginner trio in front of it. There were no signs of a reason for the restlessness.

"So, Samayora, how many Pokémon did you catch?" Hilda interrupted Samayora's ponderings.

"One. Everyone, meet Brigitta." Samayora introduced her new friend to the group by calling her out of her Poké Ball.

"Hi everyone! Let's be friends!" Brigitta greeted.

"Oh, she's so cute!" Bianca said.

"It seems we all caught one along the way," Cheren remarked. "So, Professor, you wanted to show us around?"

"Indeed," Professor Juniper answered. "I'd like to show you the most important place a Trainer needs to know: the Pokémon Center. Follow me."

The group followed the Professor inside the Pokémon Center as Samayora returned her Lillipup to her Poké Ball.

"This is a Pokémon Center! Don't you feel better as soon as you step through the door? Okay, let's start the tour!" Professor Juniper walked further in. "A Pokémon Center is a truly incredible place! Do you know why? Because your Pokémon can be healed! And, what's more, it's absolutely free! A Pokémon Center is a Trainer's best friend! You can also overnight for free, so you don't need to sleep outside or in a hotel whenever you're in a location with a Pokémon Center. There's also a Poké Mart, a cafeteria and most Pokémon Centers have a kitchen visitors may use."

"A Poké Mart _inside_ a Pokémon Center?" Samayora repeated. "That's new to me. They're separate buildings elsewhere."

"Really?" Bianca asked.

Samayora nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Is any of your Pokémon injured? If yes, you should go talk with Nurse Joy now so that she can tend to them," Professor Juniper said.

"Shellmaster got some scratches and they could probably use a look from a professional," Hilda noted.

"Oh, my Fernando could use a look too!" Bianca said. The two girls went to talk with Nurse Joy for a while.

When they returned, Professor Juniper continued, "While we wait for your Pokémon to be treated, I'll show you how to use the PC at a Pokémon Center." She led them to a room full of computers and booted one up. "These are the PCs. They're free for any Trainer to use. You can store Pokémon in your PC Boxes if you decide to use them or transfer Pokémon between where you are and the place where they're being taken care of. For example, I take care of some Trainers' Pokémon while they're not on the team or in the PC. In addition, if you catch a new Pokémon while you have six Pokémon traveling with you and have opted not to carry any more on hand, the Pokémon you just caught is sent automatically to the PC network! Surprising, isn't it? Amazing, even."

"I've never cared for sending anyone away mid-journey, so I carry all of the region's team on hand," Samayora remarked. "As long as you don't go nuts about catching Pokémon, it's perfectly feasible so you don't have to keep switching around with PCs."

"What about your teams from other regions? Who takes care of them?" Cheren asked.

"It's a joint effort by the local orphanage staff and the teams themselves. The staff is mainly responsible on paper because someone has to be even though my teams are more than capable of taking care of themselves. Most of my Pokémon spend their time in Alamos Town's garden and do fine with Berries and the food the team leaders buy," Samayora explained.

"The orphanage staff? Can't your family do that for you?" Bianca asked.

Samayora froze.

Bianca realized she had struck a nerve. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to..."

Samayora made the effort to smile. "It's okay. No need to apologize." She took in the auras around her and decided to confide in them. "I don't talk about this much, but I feel that I can already trust you enough to explain. Funnily enough, when my teams are taking care of themselves and each other, it actually is my family taking care of them. I've been an orphan most of my life and Pokémon have been the ones who have done the most to raise me, so I see them as my family. Emerald is quite literally my older brother because it was his mother who first took care of me."

"Pokémon took care of you?" Professor Juniper asked.

"It's true," Emerald chimed in. "My ma made sure that she survived her first years and the Xatu in our home forest taught us both to speak Human fluently. That's why I can talk with you like this; I practiced the pronunciations with Sara until we both could talk with humans with ease."

"As far as the forest Pokémon have told me, I was abandoned as an infant and taken in by them soon afterwards. What I know myself is that I was adopted by a human when I was six. That's why I moved to Alamos Town. The man ended up abandoning me later, though, and I've been living in an orphanage there ever since," Samayora told.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Hilda said.

"Don't be. Emerald was with me all that time and he helped me get through even the worst," Samayora assured. "What matters is that I'm not letting it bring me down." She took a deep breath. "I... I do want to say... I'm grateful that you've been so welcoming and kind from the start. Thank you for it."

"Don't mention it. It's always great to get new friends, especially from other places," Cheren said.

"Besides, isn't it the idea of going on a journey that we meet new people and make new friends?" Bianca said. Hilda nodded.

"It is, indeed," Samayora said. She fought happy tears; the trio's auras were overwhelming, so overwhelming that she forgot the restless ones outside.

"That is the right attitude. Journeying is wonderful!" Professor Juniper said. "Although, I must admit I've never heard of someone who has been raised by Pokémon."

"I've never heard of anyone else like me either," Samayora admitted. "I've talked with far more people than I can count, but no one has indicated that they'd be like me. Of course, I'm sure no one's flaunting that information around because it usually only gets you either bullied or seen as a nutcase, but no one I've met has ever treated Pokémon the way that would look like it." _Wait till you figure out I can actually understand the Pok_ _émon language._

"I'd like to discuss that with you sometime if you don't mind," Professor Juniper noted.

Samayora startled a little. "Uh, okay. I guess that's fine by me. No one's ever asked to hear more before."

"Well, you stopped telling that to people when you were six. Did you ever even tell Silver?" Emerald remarked.

"Actually... no. He doesn't know either." Samayora chuckled. "It's going to be awkward to tell him at some point. But yeah, if you want to hear more, I guess I can talk about it if we can find a time when we can talk."

"Excellent!" Professor Juniper said. "Now, back to the tour. With these PCs, you can also call other people regardless of their communication system as long as you have their number and trade Pokémon." She led them out of the computer room and to the Poké Mart. "Now, this is the Poké Mart. This is the place to buy useful items and sell the ones you don't need anymore! That gentleman over there will help you with a smile!" She paused. "That concludes this tour, so let's wrap this up. I've given you the basics of being a Trainer! I'm going to head back to Nuvema Town. Just one final thing… When you get to Striaton City, go and meet an inventor named Fennel. She's a friend of mine from long ago, and I'm sure she'll help you on your way! Best of luck! I hope that your journeys prove to be the adventure of a lifetime!"

"Thank you, Professor," Cheren said. The others in the group also said their thanks. With the farewells bid, the Professor left the Pokémon Center.

After getting their now treated Pokémon back, Bianca and Hilda rejoined the group.

"Well, what do we do now?" Hilda asked.

"We should all stock up on Potions and Poké Balls," Cheren remarked.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Samayora said. "I've got enough left from my previous journey, so I think I'll skip stocking up until Striaton City, but I recommend that you make sure you always have Potions on hand in case of an emergency or someone in need of help. You can never know what happens."

"Alright, let's go stock up then!" Bianca said.

The trio went to talk with the cashier while Samayora and Emerald waited.

"Quite some days with those three, huh?" Emerald said.

"Absolutely," Samayora said. "What the hell just happened with that backstory session?"

"Their auras must really be something for you to trust them this soon."

"They are, Emerald, they absolutely are." Samayora looked out of the window. The auras outside were getting even more restless and there seemed to be some notable movement. "What's up out there?"

"What is it?" Cheren asked, having already come back from the Poké Mart.

"I think something's going on outside," Samayora told. "Not sure what's going on, but it's something for sure."

"Let's check it out," Hilda said. "C'mon!"

Outside, it became apparent that something was going in the plaza. Samayora felt her aura sense flare when she scanned the crowd gathered there. Without thinking, she led the way with the beginner trio following her and Emerald.

Once they got to see what was going on, Samayora's eyes widened. The restless auras turned out to be people in strange attire that kind of reminded her of medieval knights and a green-haired man with a red eyepatch in a ridiculous robe.

"I need a bingo card for these folks," Emerald muttered. The beginner trio frowned when they heard him talk in Grovyle.

Samayora, on the other hand, paid no mind to it. She did not even notice that her hands were clenched into tight fists. The man's aura, for some reason, sickened her to the core. Was it simply because she had not faced such a foul aura in a long time, if ever?

It did not help that the insignia on the flags looked distantly familiar.

_What the hell is going on here?_

The man stepped forward and began his speech, "My name is Ghetsis. I am here representing Team Plasma."

_Bingo_ , Emerald mused. _Found the evil team._

"Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon liberation."

This raised a ruckus in the crowd.

"The _fuck_?!" Samayora spat. Emerald glanced at her, surprised by the strong reaction.

Brigitta came out of her Poké Ball. "What's happening?"

"I don't know, but I sure as Arceus's existence don't like it so far." Samayora scooped the Lillipup into her arms.

Once the crowd fell quiet, Ghetsis resumed his speech, walking back and forth in front of them. "I'm sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokémon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However... Is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans... only assume that this is the truth?

"Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of Trainers... They get pushed around when they are our 'partners' at work... Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?"

The crowd started discussing again. Samayora stole a glance at the trio. Each of the beginners was frowning.

"It is true that there are selfish people who don't treat Pokémon right, but they are a tiny minority against the huge majority of the rest of us," Samayora told them. It did seem to appease them, although only a little.

Ghetsis continued again, "Now, ladies and gentlemen, Pokémon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. They are living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Tell me, what is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called Pokémon?"

Someone in the crowd dared to speak up. "Liberation?"

Ghetsis nodded. "That's right! We must liberate the Pokémon! Then, and only then, will humans and Pokémon truly be equals. Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokémon... and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."

With those words, the silent people behind Ghetsis gathered the flags and surrounded the man like bodyguards, escorting him away. The crowd was left to discuss the speech they had just heard.

Once Team Plasma was out of her eyesight, Samayora realized that she was grinding her teeth.

"What do you think?" Bianca asked, worried.

"I don't think liberating all Pokémon is the right way to approach a bad minority," Cheren noted.

"I agree." Samayora tore her eyes from the street the villain team had disappeared to in favor of looking at her fellow Trainers.

"You know what an actual Pokémon thinks?" Emerald asked, loud enough for all of the scattering crowd to hear. "I think that liberation stuff is _bullshit_!"

"I don't want to be liberated! I like being with Sara!" Brigitta added.

"Aw, thank you, Brigitta. I'm glad to hear that." Samayora managed to get a smile on her face. "I agree with Emerald. Besides, I have a bad feeling about that Ghetsis guy. It's not just that after traveling in four regions and meeting only 'Team' organizations that are bad, it's easy to suspect that these guys are also bad. His aura is foul."

"His aura?" Hilda repeated.

"Yes. I guess now's the best time to mention that I've learned how to sense other people's auras," Samayora told and grumbled, "It's been a while since I sensed one that bad, though..." Then she realized out how she would get her message across. "Anyhow, if you're in doubt about what your Pokémon think, ask them. You may not understand their words, but I'm sure you will understand their feelings."

The trio exchanged glanced and nodded. They called their Pokémon from their Poké Balls.

"Hey, just to get started, I don't want to leave you when we just began our journey!" Shellmaster spoke up the moment he materialized.

"Yeah, I wanna stay with you too, just like Brigitta!" said Hilda's Lillipup.

"The same goes for us. We want to grow with you," Kaede said with Cheren's Patrat nodding.

Ignus nuzzled Bianca's leg. "I want to stay with you, Bianca!"

"As do I. Please don't liberate us!" Bianca's Lillipup pleaded.

"They... they want to stay..." Bianca said. "They all do, don't they?"

Emerald nodded. "They do."

"I'm glad that you guys want to stick around." Hilda hugged her Pokémon.

"Let's become strong together," Cheren said, getting satisfied nods from his team.

Samayora looked at the scene. A strange feeling of pride bubbled in her chest; she was a part of this beautiful moment, one of the countless moments that showed the bond between Pokémon and humans, one of the countless moments that proved that Team Plasma was wrong in thinking that Pokémon needed to be separated from humans.

"I'm so happy to see them happy! You are too, aren't you, Sara?" Brigitta asked.

"I am, Brigitta. I truly am," Samayora breathed. "Moments like these, the bonds between Pokémon and their Trainers... they are one of the most beautiful things in the world."

Emerald wrapped his arm around his partner's back and spoke in Grovyle, "You truly are something, sis. I know you make us happy, but now you're making these kids and their teams happy too."

Samayora gave her partner a fond smile. "Cynthia said that every little good deed makes the world a better place. I do my best to live by those words."

Suddenly, her aura senses picked up something strangely familiar, so she looked past Emerald.

A young green-haired man — he did not look much older than Samayora — was staring at them, his expression and aura indicating disbelief.

"What's wrong, Sara?" Emerald asked and turned to look at the man staring at them. "Who's that?"

"I don't know," Samayora said, puzzled. Why did that man look and even _feel_ somehow familiar yet so unfamiliar?

"I've never seen him before," Cheren remarked as he looked at the man as well.

"Maybe he wants to be our friend?" Brigitta suggested.

"That might be it," Samayora said, completely oblivious to the confused glances the beginner trio was exchanging.

"Maybe he's staring because I'm a talking Pokémon, a non-Unovan one to boot," Emerald suggested. "Calling that speech bullshit probably gained me some extra attention."

Samayora walked past her partner and the trio closer to the green-haired man, trying to figure out how to best approach him. He startled, as if he had only then realized that he was staring, yet he walked up to the group with only slight hesitation.

"Your Pokémon... Just now, they were saying..." he spoke, his words coming at a rapid fire pace.

"Slow down. You talk too fast," Cheren said. "What's this about Pokémon talking? We can understand Emerald here, but not Brigitta or the others."

"Oh, so you can't understand. How sad," the man said, his words now slower. "My name is N."

"My name is Cheren and these are my Pokémon, Kaede and Gerald," Cheren introduced himself and his team.

"I'm Hilda and these are Shellmaster and Penny."

"I'm Bianca. These are my friends Ignus and Fernando."

"And I'm Samayora. The foulmouth here is my partner, Emerald, and this is our newest friend Brigitta."

"Hey, you're no better!" Emerald pointed at his partner.

Samayora smirked at him. "I know."

"We all just started our journey here. Although, Samayora is a more experienced Trainer from Sinnoh while the rest of us just left on our first journey," Cheren explained. "My goal is to become the Champion."

"I'm not sure what I want to do yet. Right now, I just want to journey, get stronger and learn more about Pokémon," Hilda told.

"Me too," Bianca said.

"I'm here to make new friends and learn more about both Pokémon and humans," Samayora told with a smile on her face. _And avoid a bully._

"I see... I'm a Trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokémon really happy that way?" N said.

"Goddammit, did this guy already buy everything that Ghetsis guy said?" Emerald groaned in Grovyle before switching back to Human. "Well, my expert opinion is that if the Trainer is good, yes."

"I agree!" Brigitta said. The beginner trio's Pokémon voiced their agreement as well.

N frowned, his aura flaring with confusion. It seemed like he did not know what to make of what he was hearing. As the green-haired man pondered his next move, Emerald spoke to Samayora in Grovyle, "What's your verdict, partner? He's weird but is he a threat? I can come up with ideas on how to get rid of him."

"There's no need to get rid of me," N said, his voice sedate and eyebrows back in their normal position.

Emerald reacted immediately in Human, "Oh yeah, sure, that's what a thre..." He paused as the realization hit in. "Wait." He met Samayora's widened eyes. "Sara, did he just..."

"...Understand what you said?" Samayora turned to look at N again.

"Yes. I understand the Pokémon language," the man told.

"That's absurd," Cheren scoffed. "No one can under-"

"No, no, dude, he just did, he definitely did," Emerald cut him off. "By Arceus, Sara, is he serious?!"

Samayora simply stared N straight in the eyes in disbelief. She felt like she had seen those eyes before in a dream or something even though she was certain that she had never seen this man before.

Emerald's jaw dropped when he realized what his partner's silence meant. "Holy. Ho-Oh's. Shit."

"I understand if you're finding it hard to believe-" N began.

"You're like me," Samayora blurted. "You understand. Just like me."

"What?" Cheren exclaimed.

N blinked. "Pardon?"

"I thought I was the only one," Samayora told. "I've never met anyone else who'd understand what Pokémon say before. It's always been just me. People have thought that I'm crazy when I've told them or acted like I understand. But you... you understood what Emerald just said in Grovyle." She glanced at the beginner trio. "And I'm pretty sure you aren't a mass hallucination, so you have to be real."

"I wasn't aware there truly were others who could understand Pokémon the same way," N noted, taken aback. "How long have you been able to understand them?"

"All my life," Samayora told. "You?"

"All my life," N echoed.

A wide smile wiped the disbelief off Samayora's face. "I can't believe it. You are real, aren't you?"

"I am." N was visibly nonplussed. "Samayora, right? Shall we have a battle? I'd like to see what kind of a Trainer you are."

"Wanna battle, Brigitta?" Samayora asked.

"Of course!" Brigitta answered.

"Then I accept your challenge. Bring it on, N!" Samayora said. She put Brigitta on the ground and mentally prepared herself.

"I have a feeling someone's gonna talk Silver's head off tonight," Emerald mused to himself in Grovyle and chuckled.

N moved further away to be out of the way during the battle and let his Pokémon out of its Poké Ball. "Come, my friend!"

"It's a Purrloin," Cheren identified the Pokémon that came out.

"A Purrloin?" The name kind of rang a bell but Samayora took her new Pokédex and scanned the feline Pokémon anyway.

"Purrloin, the Devious Pokémon. They steal from people for fun, but their victims can't help but forgive them. Their deceptively cute act is perfect," the Pokédex spoke.

"A cute thief?" Emerald asked in Human. He then switched to Grovyle to murmur, "I have a feeling a much taller and cuter thief just stole my partner's heart."

"Emerald!" Samayora cried out, flustered.

"What did he say?" N asked. "I couldn't hear him from here."

Samayora thanked her aura skills for being able to tell that he was sincere. "He just teased me, that's all." She took a deep breath and pushed her partner's comment aside. "So, felines versus canines? Sounds good. Your go, N. We're ready."

"Let's do our best, Purrloin!" Brigitta said. The Purrloin merely smirked at her.

"Gian, use Scratch," N initiated the battle with the first command. Gian leaped forward towards Brigitta.

_Too fast._ "Brigitta, meet it with Tackle!" Samayora responded.

Brigitta dashed forward. Gian managed to get the Scratch to hit but Brigitta's Tackle propelled him back.

"Leer!" Samayora commanded.

"Growl!" N responded. The two Status moves reached their targets.

_They negate each other's effects._ "Let's keep up the pressure. Tackle!"

"Gian, Scratch again!"

The two Pokémon were once again even.

"Are you okay, Brigitta?" Samayora asked.

"Don't worry, Sara. I'm doing fine," Brigitta answered, catching her breath. "He's faster but I'm tougher."

"Gian, are you hurt?" N asked.

"It's just a scratch," Gian told. "And I'll repay that in kind." With those words, he leaped towards Brigitta again.

"Tackle, once more!" Samayora commanded.

The attacks connected. Gian flew back and did not get up. Brigitta panted but stayed on her feet.

"Gian!" N cried out and ran to the Purrloin.

"Looks like the battle is over," Emerald remarked.

"Well done, Brigitta!" Samayora complimented. She took a Sitrus Berry from her bag and gave it to the Lillipup. "Here, this'll help you regain your stamina."

"Thanks!" Brigitta dug in with a smile.

On the other side, N helped Gian sit up. "You did well, my friend."

"Sorry I couldn't beat that pupper," Gian apologized.

"It's fine. You fought valiantly," N told.

"Sara, do you have any Sitrus Berries to spare? I'd like to give one to Gian," Brigitta asked.

"You've got a heart of gold." Samayora took another Sitrus Berry and gave it to the Lillipup. "Here."

Brigitta took the Sitrus Berry and hurried to Gian and N. "Here, Gian, have this. It'll make you feel better."

"Thank you. You're too kind," Gian said.

"Don't mention it. Every good deed makes the world a better place," Brigitta said. Samayora could not have felt prouder of her for speaking the words she had carved into her heart many years ago.

"Thank you," N thanked.

Gian took a careful bite from the Sitrus Berry, then wolfed the rest down and jumped on his feet. "So much better! I'm feeling so much better!" He started jumping around. "Look, N, I'm already feeling better! No need to worry about me!"

N could not help but laugh in delight. Samayora felt her heart jump at the sound of it; it resonated within her. The joy in it brought back memories of the fresh wind, the rustle of the leaves in Ilex Forest, the bustling life all around her.

As she watched the scene in front of her, she could not help but hum the tune that had been stuck in her head for years.

Once Gian calmed down, N stopped laughing and walked up to Samayora, followed by the two Pokémon who were now chatting with one another.

Without even realizing it, Samayora had already stopped humming. She extended her hand. "It was a good battle."

N shook it, although it seemed that he did so only out of politeness. "It was." He paused as he let go — a bit too early, as if wanting to end the physical contact as soon as possible, Emerald remarked to himself — looking at the Pokémon. "I never expected Pokémon to say such things..."

"Are you just beginning your journey?" Samayora inquired.

"Yes. You could say that," N told. There was a shadow of doubt in his eyes.

Samayora made the effort to smile even though she was puzzled. "Sounds like you're in for a lot of discoveries." When N frowned, she elaborated, "Journeying widens your knowledge about the world. You learn things you wouldn't have learned at home and grow as a person in the process. I've been a Trainer for eight years already and experienced a lot, but I'm still discovering things whenever I travel to new places." She chuckled. "I'll admit that the humans here have swept me off my feet even though I've only been here in Unova for about a week. I look forward to growing more both as a person and a Trainer while I'm here."

N seemed doubtful, perhaps even conflicted. However, his eyes and aura glowed with determination. "As long as Pokémon are confined in Poké Balls... Pokémon will never become perfect beings. I have to change the world for Pokémon, because they're my friends."

"Change the world?" Emerald repeated. N nodded. "Okay, just don't go messing up the ecosystem or the fabric of time and space while at it. We've already seen three nutcases try to achieve it that way and they almost destroyed the whole world."

"I... haven't planned anything like that," N noted, confused by how specific the Grovyle had been.

"Good. Just don't try to do anything else that's going to destroy the world and you have my blessing as a Pokémon," Emerald said. "Poké Balls are nice and have helped us move around, but if you have a better idea, go ahead and make it real."

N nodded again, encouraged by the words. "I will, Emerald. The world I will bring will be perfect for your kind."

"I look forward to seeing it," Samayora said. "Pokémon are my friends, too, so if you ever want help with making the world a better place for them, let me know."

N smiled. "Very well. I must take my leave now. Although, I have a feeling that we will meet again. Goodbye."

"See you around," Samayora said, surprised by the abrupt ending to the conversation. "Take care on your journey."

"Take care! Let's have a battle again sometime!" Brigitta said.

"You're cool. See you again sometime, whenever and wherever that 'sometime' is," Emerald said.

Once the beginner trio and their Pokémon had said their goodbyes, N left.

"Well, Unova's full of interesting folks, it seems," Emerald remarked. "What are the odds that all of this is happening just when we're here?"

"They must be extremely small," Cheren noted. "However, Samayora, you actually understand the Pokémon language?"

"Yeah, I do. I'd figured I'd leave that for later since I already dropped that 'raised by Pokémon' bombshell on you guys today, but apparently it wasn't meant to be." Samayora rubbed her neck and chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm so used to people calling me insane for it that I wasn't sure how you'd react. I didn't want to risk you thinking I'm completely nuts. It's easier for me to prove my aura powers since I can create tangible barriers with them, but understanding the Pokémon language is so unheard of it usually doesn't go well."

"It does sound strange that someone can understand them, but it also makes sense after seeing how you interact with Pokémon," Hilda said. "I think it is awesome that you can understand them like that, you and N both."

"It has helped with communication a lot," Samayora admitted. "It's hard for me to see things from other people's perspective when it comes to interacting with Pokémon since I've always understood Pokémon the same way I understand humans — on the language level, I mean — but I try my best to understand."

"That N guy did seem a little odd compared to you," Bianca remarked. "You seem like a normal Trainer."

"Thanks," Samayora said. "I'm glad you don't think I'm a weirdo after all of this."

"Even if you were a weirdo, as you put it, you've done nothing to make us hate you. On the contrary, you have helped us a lot already," Cheren stated.

"Exactly! And everyone doesn't have to be 'normal'. Unusual people make the world more interesting," Hilda said. "What matters is that everyone treats each other with respect."

Samayora nodded. "Thank you. Hearing you say that makes me feel better."

"N's got some radical ideas, that's for sure," Emerald noted. "Sara, what do you think about it?"

"It's hard to say. I'd like to hear more about how he actually wants to change the world before making a judgement." Samayora pondered for a while. "Whatever he's up to, he genuinely cares about Pokémon, so I have a good feeling about what he's aiming for."

"We will probably find out more later. I'm not going to worry about it." Cheren shrugged. "I'll go on ahead. I want to battle the Gym Leader in the next town, Striaton City."

"I'll look around for a while before leaving," Hilda said.

"Can I tag along?" Bianca asked.

"Of course." Hilda smiled.

"I'll head back to the Pokémon Center since Brigitta got a few scratches that need to be patched up. I'll follow along after I've looked around," Samayora told.

"We'll see each other around then," Cheren said. "See you later."

As Nurse Joy tended to Brigitta, Samayora sat down and ran her hands over her face.

"A long day, huh?" Emerald grinned. "It's not even the evening yet."

"I have no idea what is happening around here. Things just keep on happening. First Nuvema Town, then the tour here and now N." Samayora tightened her ponytail. "They're all sweeping me away and I don't know how or why."

"Do you think you're more receptive towards humans after Silver or is it just... you know, these guys?"

"I don't know. I think it might be both, but the main thing probably is that those three just... they just took me into their lives, just like that. They wanted to hear what I thought, they asked me for actual advice... Just like that. They're so open to other people."

"I think one factor is that they're older than usual beginner Trainers we've met. They're more aware of both that they don't know everything _and_ what journeying is actually about — growing and learning. They're more mature than you were when we started out."

"Yeah... It's just... strange. I mean, May and Brendan were happy to have me around but they never were... this insistent on it, I guess. It was fun tagging along with May through Route 104 and Petalburg Woods, but it was... more of an alliance than a friendship, I guess."

"Maybe you have changed since then, too. Had this been right after Hoenn, you would've probably pushed them away. Silver left a mark, y'know. He made you see the potential in humans as actual friends. I could almost see you mature in real time when you interacted after becoming friends."

"I guess you're right, partner. It's just... hard to understand, you know? I came here to learn how to trust humans and... everything's just happening so fast and so soon. It's one thing to meet such welcoming people and it's another thing to meet someone like myself after all these years of thinking I'm the only one, but both already? It's overwhelming, I guess."

"Yeah. Still, coming here now was the best decision ever. It feels overwhelming and sudden now, but I'm sure that by the time we reach the League, you've got a bunch of awesome human friends." Emerald paused. "I reckon that you might even return to Alamos Town a different person with how much you'll grow with the trio."

Samayora gave a half-hearted smile. "I hope that I'm a better person after this journey is over."

"I'm sure you will be. If I see you heading the wrong way, you can be sure I'll stop you and turn you around."

"Thanks, partner. What would I ever do without you?"

"Probably be dead."

"Yeah. I probably don't say this nearly often enough, but thank you for everything you've done for me, Emerald."

"Don't mention it. I wouldn't be anywhere near this kickass and seasoned without you."

Samayora chuckled. "I wonder whether or not that mouth of yours would be as foul as it has been ever since Hoenn."

"I don't know. Yours wouldn't be since you'd have never made it that far before dying."

"Haha, true."

"So, are we going to walk around the town before or after calling Silver?"

"I think I'll call him in the evening. It's probably too early Johto time to call him since he's been staying up so late."

"You should start calling him during the day and convince him to go to sleep on time."

"Like we did last night?"

" _Un_ like we did last night."

"I'll suggest that if it seems he should go to sleep earlier."

"Good."

~~~

The familiar ringtone broke the dazed silence of the breakfast — which had taken the form of a late lunch bought from the Pokémon Center cafeteria — and shook the Pokégear's owner from staring into the emptiness. The name on the screen woke him up a little more.

"Yeah?"

"Hi Silver! How are you?" The female voice coming from the other side sounded more excited than usual.

"Tired but fine. You?"

"Sounds like you should go to sleep earlier. Anyway, I'm doing great. It's been a crazy day today! Do you have time to hear me out?"

"Sure. I'm just eating breakfast here."

"Breakfast? But isn't it afternoon in Johto? It's the evening here."

"Yes... I woke up about an hour ago."

"Silver, on behalf of your Pokémon, you should go to sleep earlier," a male voice joined the conversation on the other side of the line.

"Alright, alright, I'll try." Silver yawned. "Anyway, please, tell me. What's happened?"

"Well, first we met up with Professor Juniper and the three new Trainers. We tagged along while Professor Juniper gave them a tour of the Pokémon Center — by the way, did you know that Unovan Poké Marts are _inside_ the Pokémon Centers? Pretty cool! Anyway, some stuff happened there, I'll tell you about it sometime later. It's the kind of stuff you should hear in person-"

"And more awake," the male voice interjected.

"Yes, Emerald, more awake too. Anyway, stuff happened, but that's not the biggest thing. Silver, listen, you won't believe it — because _I_ am having trouble believing it and I was there — but... I met someone like me."

"Someone like you? A person who can use aura the same way?"

"No! Someone who understands Pokémon like I do!"

"What?" Samayora was right; Silver could not believe it. "Someone who understands what Pokémon actually say?"

"Yes! It's insane! I seriously thought I'm the only one there is but he understands! It was a bit hilarious when we found about it — Emerald was asking me in Grovyle if he should get rid of him and the guy responded that there was no need to do that — but, like, I'm still mind-blown and it's been hours! I still can't believe he's real, but he certainly is real! The three new Trainers were there too and they certainly saw him and all!"

"You know, I still have a bit of a hard time actually comprehending how _you_ can do that. How can someone else do that too?"

"I don't know how we do it. We just, you know, understand. We always have. He's the real deal, Silver, just like I am!"

"Okay, okay, I believe you. It's hard to process this, but I believe you." Silver rubbed his forehead. "What's this special guy's name?"

"N."

"N? Just a letter?"

"That's what he said."

"That has to be the weirdest name I've heard, and I heard plenty while hunting Team Rocket."

"I know. Still, he's cool. He's a little strange and it appears that he's just starting out like the trio from Nuvema Town, but he's cool. He talked something about changing the world to make it better for Pokémon, but he didn't really elaborate. He did say that he's not planning to do it by means that would destroy the world, and I can feel that he truly cares about Pokémon."

"Y'know, I think he's a bit stranger than just a little," Emerald noted.

"Well how am I to know who's actually strange? I'm one of the two people I know who understand the Pokémon language and until I figure out what's N's backstory, the only one raised by mainly Pokémon on this planet. For all I know, N just might be more ambitious than I am, and that's not strange at all."

"Wait, wait, what?" Silver rubbed his forehead again. He had to be lucid dreaming or something. "Did you just say you were raised by Pokémon?"

For a while, the line was so silent that had Silver not seen that the call was still on, he would have thought that Samayora had cut the call. "...Did I say that aloud in Human?"

"You did," Emerald told.

"Oh shit."

Silver took a deep breath and tried to come up with a diplomatic way to voice his thoughts. "I can stomach that understanding Pokémon thing, but... raised by them? Samayora, what are you saying?"

"Well, since I let it slip, I guess I'll tell you. That's actually the big part of the stuff that happened at the Pokémon Center today. Yeah, I was raised by Pokémon before getting adopted and then abandoned for the orphanage system to handle. And... well, I ended up telling the trio and Professor Juniper about it since Bianca asked about my family and I figured they should know. I wanted to tell you in person since it's... quite a bombshell to drop."

"Yeah, it is." Silver shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Would you have believed me? Or not thought that I'm a complete nutcase you shouldn't spend time with?"

"I don't know." Silver pondered for a moment. "On second thought, you actually make a heck of a lot sense now that you told me that. And I do get why you didn't tell me. It sounds like what a nutcase would say. I believe you, though. I know better than to think that you're insane nowadays."

"Thank you, Silver." Samayora's voice was extremely relieved. "For a while, I feared you'd hate me or something."

"Well, I don't, so don't worry." Silver knew better than to ask why his friend was so afraid of being viewed as a lunatic for telling that she was raised by Pokémon; there had to be painful memories behind it. Humans could be vile creatures.

He should know, having been a bad person and an even worse Trainer less than a year before.

"Anyway, I'm happy that you've found someone like yourself," he told. "Will you try to become his friend?"

"Absol-utely. I'm not going to throw away that once-in-a-lifetime chance!"

Silver sighed at the pun. "Good for you then. Just don't use that Absol pun on him before you're sure he actually likes puns."

"Haha, don't worry, I won't. Besides, if he's going to change the world into a better place for Pokémon, I want to see it and maybe take part in the process. At least as long as he isn't going to join Team Plasma and go on their liberation route."

"Team Plasma?"

"Yeah. Looks like we also found the local bad guys. The grunts had some knight-style attire or something to that effect and the big honcho who held a speech at Accumula Town was wearing a ridiculous robe. Said his name is Ghetsis. Apparently, they're some kind of Pokémon rights group that's planning to liberate Pokémon from humans because some folks mistreat Pokémon."

"Sounds like a load of bollocks."

"Yeah, I called it out as bullshit as soon as they were gone. Hopefully, the crowd took my Pokémon expert opinion to heart."

"And Ghetsis has a foul aura. He's definitely up to no good, so I'm watching those folks for any illegal activities."

Silver rubbed his eyes. "Huh. So much action in one day. I look forward to hearing you thwarting their evil plans along the way."

"If they are truly up to no good, I look forward to ruining them as well." Silver could imagine a mischievous smile on Samayora's face. "That's all from today, I guess. We're now heading to Striaton City for our first Gym Battle so there will probably be little to tell until then."

"Very well. I should probably go and get my day properly started. It's been good talking to you again, both of you. Take care while out there."

"You too, Silver."

"Yeah, do take some special care of your sleep schedule."

"Heh, I will. Bye." With that, the call ended. Silver stretched himself a little and looked at the clock. "Yeah, I should definitely go to sleep early today. This isn't going to do good in the long run."

He had a feeling that Feral and the others in his team agreed.

~~~

"I wonder if N's going to show up in your dreams tonight." Emerald tightened the knot to make sure that the hammock would stay in place.

Samayora stopped humming to reply. "He might. Just don't tease me about it in the morning if he does, please."

"Okay, sure." Emerald paused for effect. "I'll tease you in the afternoon."

Samayora rolled her eyes. "Ha ha, very funny, partner. No, really, I'm not in love or anything. I'm just super interested since he's the only one like me I've ever met and he seems like a genuinely good person. He did seem like he could probably use a friend among the humans like I did before Silver changed."

"Yeah, I know, don't worry. I won't embarrass you in front of him anymore. That quip about a cute thief was just too perfect not to use."

"I'll keep that in mind until I get a moment for payback."

Emerald guffawed. "You won't get a chance, that's for sure!"

"We shall see, partner, we shall see." Samayora smirked as she lay onto her hammock.

"But still, admit it, N does look good."

Samayora felt her face warm up to embarrassing levels. "Compared to that Ghetsis guy, yeah. That man can't have even his hair right."

"Not to mention that that eyepatch doesn't fit with anything, especially that godawful robe."

"Yup! I've always thought that the _Team Galactic_ folks looked stupid but he took the cake from them!"

Emerald chuckled as he lay down on his hammock. "Look at us, bashing someone's style choices like we're any better."

"At least I'm wearing normal clothes that don't make us look stupid. My pendant might not fit in the ensemble but at least it's a minor thing."

"Yeah, that's pretty minor... I wonder where N got his style. His stuff actually seemed to suit him."

"You have to ask the next time we meet him."

"Nah, he'd probably freak out. Better not risk it. Anyway, we should probably follow our advice to Silver and go to sleep."

"Yeah. Good night, Emerald."

"Good night, Sara. If you see N in your dreams, tell him I said hi."

"Ha ha ha..."

Contrary to their expectations, Samayora did not dream of N that night. Instead, she dreamed of a child's laughter and the open blue sky filled with pure white clouds.


End file.
